Volunteer’s anger at life-saver law snub

A WIGAN ambulance volunteer is calling for a government policy U-turn after MPs voted against ensuring all schools gave mandatory basic life support training.

Aiden Wilson, of Whelley, who is a Heartstart instructor as well as an emergency transport attendant at St John Ambulance, said he is dismayed at the decision and is now aiming to encourage all schools in the borough to take part in vital life-saving training nonetheless.

The 22-year-old said: “MPs recently voted against the decision to ensure all school children get mandatory basic life support training within schools as it currently does not form part of the national curriculum.

“But I think this is wrong and training like this should be made compulsory.

“Today, if you suffer a cardiac arrest out of hospital in the UK, you have less than one in 10 chances of surviving.

“One of the ways that British Heart Foundation is trying to improve the survival rates is to train as many children and adults as possible within the community.

“I want to basically increase the awareness of the importance of first aid and run as many courses as needed to train as many people across the Wigan area.

“Although it doesn’t currently form part of the curriculum, it is my aim to try and get all primary and secondary schools also in the area to partake in CPR training. This forms part of the project to improve survival rates.

“I have been interested in pre-hospital care since being a teenager and joined St John Ambulance when I was 16.

“Since leaving school, I attended Wigan College and completed both public services course and access to health course.

“I have then gone on to study paramedic practice at Liverpool John Moores University where I will qualify as a paramedic next summer.

“Part of this course trains me to become a trainer in basic life support which is supported and certified by the British Heart Foundation.”

The course is free to attend and participants will gain a certificate.